Guns N' Roses is No. 2 on my top 3 list, THe Beatles bieng No. 1. I will say this about this band. I love this band for one. In the late 80s when there was a lot of crappy pop music and hair band G N' R came along to return us to our true Rock N' Roll roots. Looking back now, I apreciate those hair bands and pop songs, but I don't love them. Guns N' Roses gave us a lot of heavy, fast rock at first, but then Use Your Illusion came along and we got a full band. We got blues, punk, clasic rock and a bit of southern rock and a bit of epic orchestra rock, essentually a bit of everything. It was a modern day Rolling Stones or Skynard, but with a little bit of Van Halen and Aerosmith. The music was epic and moving, the lyrics were absolute poetry at times and at other times, completely sinister and offensive. At other times just plain funny. This band embodied the definition of Rock N' Roll. I love it.
Now, we get to the band it's self. While as a band we have a killer front man with a killer, unique voice and an excellent lyricist. We have a Hendrix like guitar god. He plays amazing guitar solo's that are distinct and something that is lacking in music today. Guys like this only come once in a generation it seems. The rest of the band, mm, well. Two drummers that are both equally good in thier own right, a keyboardist that has moved me in so many ways and put me to tears on several ocassions and two very capable rythem guitarists, but I do prefer Izzy becouse he is the original and worked with Slash very well. Duff, well I used to hate Duff, but after Velvet Revolver I've come to really like Duff, he's a good bassist.
Now the fall. As we all know, Axel ose is a complete self involved asshole. He claims rights to the name Guns N' Roses, which is fine, but that's not what makes the band. Axel has suffered from classic lead singer syndrome. Many bands have gone through this, Zepplin, Aerosmith, ect... Many bands have broken up and eventually gotten back together after they said they wouldn't, The Eagles, The Cars, ect.. I think theres enough evidence to suggest The Beatles would have united.Just about every band that has broken up has gotten back together. It would seem that this is the onlky band that can't get over themselves. Most of it is due to Axel , but Slash has had creative issues in the past which I think was unnecessary. The Jury is still out, but I don't think we will see a reunion any time in the next few years. I usedto think if they came back it would be huge and Rock N' Roll would return, but that was a long time ago. If they do return I do think it has potential to be huge.
Now to Chineese Democracy. This album sucked, it is not and will never be considered G N' R to me. I did like maybe 4 or 5 songs, but as a whole it sucked. I do own it, but did not purchase it. I think the song The Blues and Madigascar are the closest thing to Use Your Illusion and I like those songs, but don't love them. I think Axel's voice sounds whiney at times and just weird at others, but there is still a hint of the old Axel in thier. I think in time he could really gain that old voice back. His piano work is still moving and his lyrics are still pretty good. I felt like CD. was a failed attempt at Use Your Illusion 3. Had slash and the others been there I definately belkieve it could have been a good album maybe on the level of Lies. Not great, but pretty good.
So there yoiu have it, those are my thoughts on this band. I could add more, but this is a good beggining.
It was ugly. And now...here they are, learning to work together for the fans.
